One of the common complaints of individuals or entities about group events where beverages are served from bottles such as the one and two liter soft drink bottles to a large number of guests or patrons is the time involved in serving each individual. Unless the server uses expensive beverage serving equipment, for example, pump or pressure driven devices such as often found in taverns or the like, considerable time is involved in identifying the appropriate container, pouring the beverage in a suitable receptacle, and serving the beverage. Spillage often occurs and is particularly exacerbated if the user is a child trying to cope with the relative large size of the bottle. Additionally, attendant waste is likely to occur since frequently more bottles than necessary are opened. Even where bottles containing carbonated beverages only partially consumed are recapped, the remaining liquids become less effervescent due to escape of the constituent gas into the now larger ullage volume of the bottles. Thus, it is very desirable that the opened bottles be consumed in close time proximity of opening and that other bottles be kept in reserve until actually needed.
There have been numerous attempts to cope with this nettlesome problem through the use of beverage dispensers that dispense the beverage selectively and maintain a seal on the container to preserve the freshness of the liquid during the selective dispensing operation. One example is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,722,463 issued Feb. 2, 1988 to Anderson. The Anderson patent describes an apparatus containing a spring biased plug element that has an annular groove with a significant axial length. The plug element is axially movable through the manual manipulation of a lever. The groove communicates with both the interior of the bottle and a spout mechanism when a lever cams the plug into an open position. The spout mechanism is used to divert and direct the flow of a liquid into an awaiting receptacle such as a glass. Release of the lever causes the plug to return to its closed position under the bias exerted by the spring, taking the annular groove out of communication with the spout. The beverage in the bottle is caused to change direction several times while flowing under gravity from the container to the spout. For example, the beverage must flow from the bottle into the groove, out of the groove into the spout, and then into the glass. Carbonated beverages, however, are adversely affected when the downward moving liquid impacts various internal barriers to the flow, causing it to release its carbonation. Due to the small diameter and volume of the passageways within the prior art dispenser, considerable build up in the gas pressure can occur quickly causing a rapid expulsion of the gas and a concomitant noise. If the venting passageways cannot accommodate quickly enough the gaseous equilibration between the ullage volume of the container and the atmosphere, the liquid itself may be expelled through the liquid passageways under pressure causing splatter and undesirable quantities of foam.
Still another example is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,715,516 issued Dec. 29, 1987 to Salvail. This patent recognizes the desirability to allow the gas in the ullage volume of the bottle to equilibrate prior to allowing the liquid to flow out of the bottle. The sequence is accomplished through the use of valves opening and closing the passageways between the bottle and the spout egress from the dispensing apparatus to the awaiting beverage receptacle. Each valve is separately spring biased into the closed position and are opened sequentially by a lever camming against the bottom of the valve stems. The valve stem of the vent passageway is longer than the valve stem of the liquid passageway and is contacted by the lever prior to contact with the liquid valve stem, thus allowing the pressure in the ullage volume to equilibrate prior to the liquid being allowed to egress. It should be noted, however, that the structure of the Salvail device, like that of the Anderson dispensing device, requires the liquid to abruptly change direction at least twice as it flows toward the spout. Again, the abrupt change in direction of the liquid caused by the impact thereof against various internal members results in the constituent gas in the unstable carbonated liquid to be undesirable released prior to consumption, giving rise to excess foam and flat tasting beverages. Salvail further is typical of prior art devices in which the liquid and air mix at a point somewhere in the device, causing carbonated liquids to cavitate and prematurely release its carbonation.
Salvail also describes a stand, typical of other prior art stands, that is connected to the bottle about its neck. It is noted that the stand is subjected to considerable torque due to the displacement of the center of gravity from the point of contact with the stand. This represents a possible unstable condition as the stand and bottle can easily be tipped over by outside forces. Additionally, it may be difficult to accommodate bottles of different dimensions.
It is therefore one object of the present invention to provide for a beverage dispensing apparatus for the rapid flow of beverage from bottle to receptacle without undue creation of foam or causing the beverage to taste "flat".
It is still another object of the present invention to provide for a beverage dispenser for the sequential, unimpeded equilibration of the ullage volume of a container and the unimpeded dispensing of the liquid therein in a direct unimpeded vertical flow to the receptacle.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide for a beverage dispenser that is compact and provides for liquid and venting chambers large enough to ensure that the pressure in the ullage volume is fully dissipated before the liquid is permitted to flow to the receptacle.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide for a beverage dispenser capable of accommodating and dispensing liquid from an open and inverted beverage bottle that is vertically positioned above a receptacle.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide for a combination stand and beverage dispenser in which the stand directly supports a dispenser that is sealed to the opening of an inverted bottle containing a beverage.